Research On Interactions Between Regional Marine Technology Innovation And Blue Economy Development

Technological innovation interacts closely with economic development. They influence each other andcheck and balance each other. Through efficient interactions, they can produce great driving power to promoteregional economic and social development in a rapid and healthy fashion. Therefore, how to integrate them andachieve efficient interactions at a higher level to promote sustainable economic and social development hasbecome the concern of many countries or regions. With the uplifting of the ocean’s position and role in regionaldevelopment, and with the increasing requirements for blue economic development through development andutilization of the marine resources in a sustainable manner, the interactive development of blue economy andmarine technologies, both being important players in our social, economic and technological system, hasattracted increasing attention.Blue economy is a new form of economic development featuring sustainable development and utilizationof the marine resources and the environment. The cultivation and development of regional blue economy setforth stricter requirements on the innovation of marine technologies, and give prominence to the leading andsupporting characters of marine technology innovation in regional economic development. Continuous andrapid progress of marine technology will provide effective guarantee for the sustainable supply of ecologicalcapital needed for blue economic development, and promote the upgrading of traditional marine industries anddevelopment of emerging industries. It can also speed up industrial clustering, and improve regional blueeconomic presence and market competitiveness both at home and abroad. The development of blue economywill have tremendous back-feeding effects on marine technology innovation. Marine technology innovationneeds continuous capital investments, particularly for the research and development of value-addedtechnologies and transformation of research achievements. Only sustainable development of blue economy canprovide effective capital guarantee for marine technology innovations. Therefore, when marine technologyinnovation is integrated with blue economic development to achieve efficient interactions, it will generate greatpower to drive coordinated development of marine technologies and blue economy.Marine technology innovation and economic development are closely related. However, their relevance isnonlinear. There might even be unassociated points. The nonlinear correlation results in a lack of a soundinteraction mechanism between them. An unsound system or system with weak links will affect the functioningof the entire system, prevent or restrict benign interactions, and weaken the working effect. Therefore, toimprove the linear correlation between marine technology innovation and blue economic development andrealize “economy-based technological development and technology-backed economic development” requires an efficient, well-coordinated interaction mechanism to support and guide benign interactions, promotecoordinated development of regional marine technology innovations and blue economy development, and servethe regional economic and social development.Focusing on how to promote interactions between marine technology innovation and blue economicdevelopment to achieve sustainable economic development and social progress in coastal areas, this paperprovides systematic theoretical analysis and empirical study on the interaction of regional marine technologyinnovation and blue economy development based on a range of theories such as theories on sustainabledevelopment, innovation, new economic growth, and institutional economics, by means of qualitative andquantitative analysis, and comparative, systematic and normative analysis. At first, the interactive correlationsbetween marine technology innovation and blue economic development are discussed and analyzed from atheoretical perspective, and the causes and factors preventing such interactions in Qingdao are analyzed bymeans of quantitative surveys. Then, the interactive development of the two in a number of countries issurveyed, including analysis and summarization of related incentive policies and good practices of thesecountries. Thirdly, based on comprehensive analysis of the advantages, potential market and restrictive factorsin Qingdao, particularly in the core of the blue economic area, a key development area with demonstrativesignificance and regional influence, strategic ideas for promoting development of Qingdao’s blue economythrough innovation of marine technologies are put forth, and countermeasures and proposals on theconstruction of interaction mechanisms and cultivation of innovation culture are given.Major points in this paper are as follows:Part I Introduction. This part mainly introduces the research background, significance, content, innovationpoints and deficiencies, as well as main research results at home and abroad.Part II Basic Theories and Concepts. This part includes a summary of basic theories concerned, such asnew economic growth theory, innovation theory, and sustainable ocean development theory, with focus ondefinitions and discussions on science and technology and marine science and technology, marine technologyinnovation and progress, economic growth and development, marine economy and blue economy.Part III Interactive Relationship between Marine Technology Innovation and Blue Economy Development.This part discusses the role and functions of marine technology innovation and blue economy development inpromoting each other’s development, the nonlinear relationship between the two and possible causes, andissues on mechanism construction for benign interactions by overcoming the nonlinear correlation.Part IV Empirical Analysis. Based on analysis of the status quo of Qingdao’s marine technologyinnovation and blue economy development, a mathematical model is developed to evaluate the correlativitybetween the two, and factors that may result in the city’s weak interactions are analyzed.Part V International Practices and Experiences. This part includes analysis of the conditions of blueeconomy development through marine technology innovations in developed countries such as the United States, Japan and Western Europe, and introduces their good practices and successful experiences.Part VI Strategic Thinking on Promoting Qingdao’s Blue Economy Development through MarineTechnology Innovations. Based on analysis of the domestic and international environment faced by Qingdao, astrategic framework is established to promote interactions between marine technology innovation and blueeconomy development, and development principles, strategic targets and key tasks are put forth accordingly.Part VII Countermeasures and Proposals. According to the city’s strategic plan for promoting blueeconomy development through marine technology innovations, in view of the restricting factors and problems,and the international practices, this part puts forth countermeasures and proposals on the construction ofmechanisms for benign interactions between the two and for innovation culture cultivation.Based on the above analysis, the key points of this paper are summarized as follows:1) throughdiscussions of the interactive correlation between marine technology innovation and blue economydevelopment, the theoretic system on the relationship between economy and technology is enriched, andthrough theoretic study of interactive development of regional blue economy and marine technologies, thedominant role and functions of marine technology innovation in blue economic development and theback-feeding effects of blue economy on marine technology innovation are analyzed, making up for thelimitations and drawbacks of existing research, and helping better understand the relationships betweeneconomic development and technological innovation;2) a strategic framework is established for the promotionof interactive development of regional marine technologies and blue economy. Based on the present situationand potential market for marine technology and blue economy in Qingdao and the international context,through systematic analysis of ways to promote interaction between the two from the strategic point of view,strategic development principles, objectives and tasks, as well as countermeasures and proposals on systemconstruction and innovative culture cultivation aimed to solve existing problems and restrictions and promoteefficient interactions between the two are put forth, forming a strategic framework for the promotion ofefficient interactive development of regional marine technology and blue economy in the context of Qingdao’sendeavors to build the central blue economic area and "Blue Silicon Valley".